Mutawalle: When Tambuwal got Sultan’s mark of trust

For the people of Northern Nigeria, the title signifies ‘trust’ and it is expected to be earned.Tambuwal, who is the holder of the number four position in the country, became the fourth person in the history of the Seat of the Caliphate to clinch the illustrious title, thus meeting the expectations that his name Aminu […]

For the people of Northern Nigeria, the title signifies ‘trust’ and it is expected to be earned.
Tambuwal, who is the holder of the number four position in the country, became the fourth person in the history of the Seat of the Caliphate to clinch the illustrious title, thus meeting the expectations that his name Aminu (the trustworthy) suggest.
Until Tambuwal was bestowed with the title few days ago, it had remained vacant since 2011, when the third Mutawallen Sokoto, Engr. Ahmadu Dogon Daji, an administrator and one-time Secretary to Sokoto State Government (SSG), died. The previous Mutawalle was conferred with the title in 1989 by the 18th Sultan of Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki.
Director of Waziri Junaidu History and Cultural Bureau, Sokoto, Alhaji Bello Idris, recalled that Dogon Daji was enthroned Mutawalle in recognition of his contributions to the betterment of his people. He added that the former SSG succeeded his father, Alhaji Aliyu Dogon Daji, a treasurer with the colonial Native Administration who was conferred with the title  by Sultan Abubakar III,  in recognition of his prudence, hard-work, sincerity and trustworthiness, especially in financial administration.
The first Mutawallen Sokoto was Muhammadu Duzgu of Gidadawa area of Sokoto. Muhammadu Duzgu, one time Native Administration supervisor, was another eminent individual recognized for his immense contributions to the people.
Tambuwal’s turbaning ceremony pulled a record attendance; the mammoth crowd made movement very difficult, with many dignitaries going through hectic time before getting to their seats.
It was not a morning of politics but the whole host of All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts that swarmed the Sultan Palace, Sokoto venue of Tambuwal, to witness a PDP member’s turbanning ceremony, was reminiscent of a political rally. This was as PDP leaders shunned the traditional event. But speculations had been rife that Tambuwal will decamp to APC.
However, even with the large number of politicians that graced the occasion, which was also attended by many from different walks of life and from across Nigeria, the event proceeded according to plans.
The occasion also saw the turbanning of four other distinguished indigenes of Sokoto. They included Speaker Sokoto State House of Assembly, Muhammad Lawal Zayyana, as Sarkin Gobir Gwadabawa, the state’s Accountant-General, Alhaji Kabiru Tafida, as the Sarkin Fadan Sokoto, Alhaji Aminu Iya, as the Iyan Sokoto, and Alhaji Fodio kyari, as the Wamban Sokoto.
In his speech, the Sultan of Sokoto started with an apology. “On a day like this, when you have a large gathering of Nigerians, there will definitely be friction. In this regard, I crave your indulgence over some treatment meted out on you. We have never seen such a crowd of distinguished Nigerians attending a turbanning ceremony here,” he said.
The royal father had this lucid message for the new title holders: “When you are recognized, you have additional responsibility on your shoulders. You have been in the limelight for a long time but today you are in a much greater limelight. We have confidence that you have the ability to discharge this additional responsibility. We are very proud of your contributions to humanity.
He also harped on the need for Nigerians to work together irrespective of their political, tribal and religious differences to salvage our country.
The new Mutawallen Sokoto Tambuwal, who responded on behalf of the other new title holders, expressed gratitude to God for making the event possible.
“We will continue to emulate our fore-bearers and support the Sultanate Council of Sokoto to ensure the success of its laudable activities,” he pledged.
Representative of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunnade Sijuade, at the turbanning event asserted: “Tambuwal is a good friend of us. He comes to us, he is representing the nation well, we are all proud of him, we all love him, we want the best for him and that is why we are here to join him on this occasion.”
For former director-general National Broadcasting Corporation of Nigeria (NBC), Malam Danladi Bako, who holds the traditional title of Kogunan Sokoto: “They have been destined to get these. I welcome them wholeheartedly into the club of traditional title holders. I have been there for 13 years, I was turbanned Kogunan Sokoto in 2001, so I understand the responsibilities that go along with it. The best I can say is that they should depend on Almighty Allah for guidance. Everything they do must be a reflection of the confidence the Almighty Allah has reposed in them, the confidence the Sultan has reposed in them, the confidence the governor has reposed in them and the confidence that the people of Sokoto has reposed in them.”
To the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sumaila Mera noted: “We have people from all nooks and crannies of Nigeria here and I would like to seize this opportunity to congratulate the beneficiaries of this ceremony. All these gentlemen are worthy of the titles given to them by His Eminence.”
A former deputy governor in the old Sokoto State, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Gusau, described it this way: “This is a tradition inherited from our forefathers and no matter what you become or where you are, it would be an honour to come back home and be turbanned. The Speaker is one that people respect, he is one that can deliver and he is the one that people expect to do better for the people of the state and nation. It’s never a misplaced priority; it is a thing people are happy with.”
To the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Mattew Kukah: “This is a very significant event for all of us in Sokoto, it couldn’t have happened to a better person. Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal has conducted himself and the affairs of politics in a way and manner that has further increased the level of appreciation of politics. It’s only natural as you can see from a cross-section of people here that we are here to rejoice with him.”
But Rev. Kukah stressed: “This honour is not a fanciful decoration; it comes with responsibilities, given his strategic location in the helm of power in Nigeria. It’s definitely a well-placed position to improve the quality of relations between our people, whether as believers in our different faiths, whether based on regional or ethnic issues.
“One of the greatest things we require in this country very desperately is a climate of harmony. There’s a lot we can do together in the name of religion and I think he has demonstrated that religion doesn’t have to be a tool of war. We can only hope that now that he has this position, he can build on that to help us create much more.”